A Message from the President
EDITOR: Connie Edge COPY: Al Harris Jamie Eubanks DESIGN: Mary Smith PHOTOGRAPHY: Steve Latham Copyright © 2001, Jacksonville State University ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION: Gem of the Hills is published semiannually by the Division of Institutional Advancement, Jacksonville State University, 700 Pelham Road North, Jacksonville, Alabama 36265-1602, and distributed free to our alumni. Volume 8, Number 2
Dear Alumni and Friends, In late June, the Alabama Supreme Court stopped Gov. Don Siegelman from making deeper proration cuts among universities than from K-12 schools. In the decision, the state’s highest court said state law provides for all segments of education to be cut equally when state tax collections fall below expectations. The ruling was a win for universities, which had challenged the unequal cuts leveled against universities during this year’s proration. On Feb. 2, Siegelman ordered state education spending cut, or prorated, by $266 million because the economic downturn had reduced tax collections. He initially implemented the reduction by ordering all facets of education cut 6.2 percent across the board. Later, based on a Montgomery judge’s decision and an advisory opinion of Attorney General Bill Pryor, the governor ordered no cuts in the money allocated for the salaries of K-12 teachers. Siegelman said a 1995 state law had shielded those salaries from cuts. The result was the total allocation for K-12 schools was cut 3.7 percent and higher education was sliced by 11.1 percent. For JSU, this was a $3 million cut. Although higher education won the recent proration lawsuit that went before the Alabama Supreme Court, the outcome only ensures that K-12 and higher education will be cut by equal amounts in future prorations. The Supreme Court case did not end proration. So, while the Supreme Court ruling somewhat lessens the
impact of proration, the bad news for the 2002 academic year is that proration is still with us. The University continues operating under a prorated budget of 6.2 percent less than what was appropriated for this year and began the fall semester with 3 percent less than was appropriated on Oct. 1, 2000. Also, there is a possibility that state budget cuts may again affect higher education in the 2002 fiscal year, which began in October. The economy has not yet recovered and state tax collections may be unreliable in this fiscal year. As a result, I have encouraged all University employees to continue to cut back and remain frugal so we can be better prepared to weather any further cutbacks. JSU employees did an outstanding job assisting the University through lobbying efforts and making do with less this past spring and summer. I also commend our alumni who contacted their legislators and argued the case for treating higher education and K12 the same during proration. The battle is not over. Please watch headlines for further budget cuts, and be prepared to once again remind lawmakers that higher education is one of Alabama’s most important assets. Sincerely,
William A. Meehan, President
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HOMECOMING SCHEDULE ............ 2 NEWSNOTES ....................................... 3 CAMPUS NEWS .................................. 7 FEATURES Wayne C. Rowe ........................... 11 A Family Affair ............................ 12 Fighting Back ............................... 13 What’s Cooking ........................... 16 SPORTS NOTES ........................... 14-15
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ON THE COVER: Rain, Rain, Go Away! This little JSU fan didn’t let the weather dampen her support of the Gamecocks. She’s showing her true colors at JSU’s 2000 Homecoming Parade.
ALUM NOTES ................................... 18
Visit our web site at www.jsu.edu Editor’s e-mail address: edge@jsucc.jsu.edu